O Lord, My Strength...

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I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple he heard my voice; my cry came before Him into His ears.
~Psalm 18:1-6

We live in a place where babies die...where cancer causes suffering and slowly takes the life from one we love...where people can't always be trusted...where marriages fail...where hearts are broken...where lives are destroyed by addiction...where the cords of death can entangle. We live in a fallen world with sorrow and pain and grief. Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed by the torrents of destruction. Some days the cords of death entangle me. Since my first taste of death's sting when we said good-bye to our Faith and Grace, I have been awakened to the sorrow that lives in the valley of the shadow of death. Not only in my own life, but in the lives of others. There are so many grieving hearts in need of comfort. Death will not only touch all of our lives as we will inevitably say good-bye to those we love, but touches those around us who grieve and need someone willing to walk with them in their pain. Some days it's overwhelming to look upon the sorrow of so many grieving hearts.

And then, I remember, my God who is able...the One who hears my cry...

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters...(Psalm 18:16)
You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop, with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and Your right hand sustains me; You stoop down to make me great. You broaden my path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn. ~ Psalm 18:30-36

How many times my Jesus has reached down from on high and taken hold of me...drawing me out of deep water...waters that I thought I would drown in. How many times He has kept my lamp burning, turning my darkness into light. My daily existence is evidence of His ability to turn darkness into light. How many times He has sustained me with His right hand. Until the hope of heaven is fulfilled, He will sustain me.
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We started the books of Acts in this week's reading, and I am amazed and encouraged by the zeal of Peter, John, Stephen and others who relentlessly shared the gospel every chance they were given...in prison, during stonings, under duress. They proclaimed the power of Jesus, the gift of salvation for all who call upon the name of the Lord.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. ~ Acts 4: 12-13

I love this! It was evident that they were "unschooled, ordinary men" and that's how they determined that they had truly been with Jesus. Jesus was reflected even more through their weaknesses. The name of Jesus holds the power of salvation for those who call on Him. Their words, their courage, their boldness didn't come from man or the wisdom of man...but from God. Through the Holy Spirit they were filled with wisdom and courage.

Later in chapter 4, when they had been threatened over and over to stop telling people about Jesus, they prayed instead for more boldness...Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness. (Acts 4:29) And, after they were flogged for telling others about Jesus...for obeying God rather than men... The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. ~ Acts 5:41-42 They actually rejoiced that they were flogged for following their Savior. And they never stopped proclaiming the good news of Jesus to everyone they encountered.

Wow...amazing...

Oh, Lord...strengthen my faith. Give me a heart that is willing to serve you with boldness. Strengthen me to take up my cross daily...remembering those who have gone before me...remembering my God who is able to equip me for every good work.